Coin-controlled pocket receptacle



(No Model.)

0. P. BOOTH. 00m CONTROLLED POCKET REGEPTAOLE.

Patented Dec. 22, 1891.

'mz nonms Prrens'ca, maTo-LrrNo., wAsHmc UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES I. BOOTH. OF CAMDEN, NEW' JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SAMUELSNELLENBERG, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

COlN-CONTROLLED POCKET RECEPTACLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,814, dated December22, 1891. Application filed July 11,1891. Serial No. 399,109. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, CHARLES I. BOOTH, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Camden, in the county of Camden and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CoinControlled Pocket Receptacles; andI do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to Whichitappertains to make and usethe same, reference beinghad t0 the accompanying drawings, and toletters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in portable or pocket receptacleshavinghinged covers.

The object of the invention is to provide a portable or pocketreceptacle having a cover adapted to be closed and locked by aspringcatch, with a key carried by the cover of the receptacle or pocketoperating in conjunction with a coin to release the catch.

The invention consists in providing a port- 2 5 able or pocketreceptacle with a cover carrying a key which is adapted to engage With amovable object, as a coin, passed through the opening in the cover, sothat said object will be actuated by the key to operate aspringretaining device and release the cover.

Theinvention further consists in providing a cover with a coin-receivingslot and passage-way extending therefrom, said Way being intersected bya key Which is adapted to 5 actuate a coin to release a spring-catch andpermit the cover to be opened.

The invention further consists in providing the hinged cover with acoin-receiving slot and passage-Way from said slot to a catch, the coverhaving an opening through which passes a key carried thereby, so thatsaid key may project a coin to actuate and release the spring-catch.

The invention further consists in the construction and combination ofthe parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figurel is a vertical transverse section. Fig. 2 is a plan view with the coverthrown back. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the receptacle closed. Fig. 4 is adetail view of the coin-receiving tube.

In the drawings I have illustrated my invention as applied to a pockettobacco-box, though it is obvious that it may be used with a variety ofreceptacles adapted for pocket use.

A designates a pocket or portable receptacle, which is provided with asuitable spring having a bent end adapted to engage with a catch plateor projection carried by the cover. This spring may be shaped andattached to the receptacle in any suitable manner to suit theconstruction and configuration thereof, and instead of using thespring-catch shown a spring-projected belt or equivalent securing meansmay be employed.

To the cover C is secured a guide or passage Way D, With the portion (1of which the spring'B engages to hold the cover inaclosed position. Atthe end of the passage-way the metal on each side of the portion (Z withwhich the catch engages is bent to present stops (1 for the coin, thatlimit the movement thereof in the path of the catch. At intermediateportions the plate forming the passage-way is slotted, as at e e,through which the terminal members of the key pass when a keyconstructed as shown is used. The lid of the receptacle has acoin-receiving slot E, which leads into the passage-wayintersected bythe key. The key F is preferably hinged to the top and has a graspingportionfand termi nal portions Which pass through slots g g in the top,so that when the key is turned upon itspivot the ends thereof will beswung across I the passageway to contact with the coin passed throughthe slot, and by pressing upon the coin it will project or release thespringcatch, and thus permit the cover to be opened. The key is intendedto lie in a recess in the top or cover of the receptacle, so that therewill be no projecting parts.

When it is desired to open the receptacle, 5 a coin is passed throughthe slot and tho grasping portion of the key raised, so that the endportions thereof will contact with the coin and force the same againstthe end of the spring-catch to unlock the cover and per mit access tothe contents thereof. To remove the coin,thekey is returned to itsoriginal position parallel with the top and the receptacle turned sothat said coin will pass out through the contracted end of thepassage-way.

It is obvious that the form of key herein illustrated may be varied andthat different styles of springs and catch-plates may be used withoutdeparting from my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A portable or pocket receptacle consisting of a body portion havingan automatic or spring catch, a cover hinged to said body portion, saidcover having a coin passage and slot leading thereto, a portion of thecoinpassage being in the path of the catch, and means permanentlycarried by the cover for moving a coin when placed in the coin-passageagainst the catch, so as to release the cover, substantially as shown.

2. A portable or pocket receptacle consisting of a body portion carryingan automatic or spring catch, a cover hinged to the body,

portion opposite the catch, the cover having a coin-receiving slot andhinged key permanently carried thereby, and a plate forming thepassage-way carried by the inner side of the cover, substantially as setforth.

3. In a portable or pocket receptacle, a body portion A, having a catch,a cover hinged thereto, said cover. having a coin-receiving slotopposite the catch and a passage-way leading from the slot to the catch,and a key permanently hinged to the cover and provided with an exteriorgrasping portion and a portion which passes through the cover and isadapted to engage with the coin when passed through the slot,substantially as set forth.

4. In a portable or pocket receptacle having an automatic or springcatch, a cover hinged thereto and provided with a coin-slot andpassage-way therefrom to the catch, the catch being adapted to engagewith the base of the passage-way, and means permanently hinged to thecover for operating the coin when placed in the passage-way, so as torelease the catch, substantially as shown, and for the purpose setforth.

5. Thecombination,with a portable or pocket receptacle having aspring-catch and cover hinged thereto, of a passage-way carried by thecover, a spring-catch adapted to engage with the bottom plate thereof,means for projecting the coin when placed in the passageway, and stopsfor limiting the movement of the coin toward the catch, substantially asset forth.

6. In combination with a portable or pocket receptacle having a hingedcover, which engages with locking mechanism carried by the body of thereceptacle, the cover having a coinslotand passage-way extending fromthe slot way carried by the'cover, said plate having slots 6 6, stops dd, between which the looking mechanism engages with the plate, a keypivoted to the cover and provided with a grasping portion which lieswithout the cover, and terminal members which swing in the path ofthecoin and pass through slots in the attached plate forming thepassage-way, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

8. As an improved article of manufacture, a tobacco box or receptacleconsisting of a base carrying an automatic catch andhinged cover, thecovering being provided with a coinslot, a passage-way therefrom to thecatch, and a key permanently hinged to the cover, a portion of saidkey-being-adapted to be passed in the path of the coin, so as to abutagainst the same and project the coin to release the catch from theplate carried by the cover, with which the locking-catch engages.

9. In a portable or pocket receptacle for the purpose set forth, havinga hinged cover and automatic locking mechanism, a coin-slot in thecover, and a plate forming a passage-way secured to the cover, saidplate having slots 6 e, a key pivoted to the cover and provided with agrasping portion which lies without the cover, and terminal memberswhich swing in the path of the coin and pass through slots in theattached plate forming the passage-way, substantially as set forth. 7

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. CHARLES P. BOOTH.

Witnesses:

GUSTAVUS REMAK, Jn, ADoLPH EIoHHoLZ.

IIO

